Can opener and stopper.



R. HULME. GAN- OPENER AND STOPPER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1911,

1,029,686. Patented June 18,1912.

I avwewtoz lioberb HuZzrw atbozmu ROBERT HULME, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

CAN OPENER AND STOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed September 19, 1911. Serial No. 650,162.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, ROBERT HULME, of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and Improved Can Opener and Stopper, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a can opener and stopper for cans containing materials such as are apt tospoil or deteriorate in quality after having been opened unless kept carefully stopped, and is particularly designed for use with cans containing cotton seed oil, which will soon become rancid if exposed to the air.

The improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the upper part of the can and of the combined opener and stopper. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a view of the stopper and opener. Fig. 4: is a detail View of the blank from which the closure is made.

A, is the body of the can, having a top B, in which is an opening C, through which the contents of the can may be poured out when uncovered. As shown, this opening has an upwardly projecting flange a, to facilitate the pouring. After the can. has been filled this opening is closed by a cover D, which is detachably soldered in place by solder indicated at b, so as to make an air-tight closure. The cover is made from a blank shown in Fig. 1, comprising two integral portions, namely, the cover proper D, and the apertured stopper holder E, which is provided with a hole 0, for the reception of the handle F, of the opener and stopper G. The stopper support E, is bent at right angles to the cover D, as shown in Fig. 1. The opener and stopper G, has an enlarged head H integral with the handle F. The handle is tapered so as to facilitate introduction into the hole 0, in the support E. An annular groove 6, is formed in the opener and stopper G, where the handle and the head join, which is engaged by the margin of the hole in the support E, so as to retain the opener and stopper in place sufliciently securely so as not to become accidentally detached, but permitting the opener and stopper to be removed on the application of slight force. The opener and stopper G, when fitted in the hole of the support E, lies horizontally, as shown in Fig. 1, with the periphery of the head H, in close proximity to the upper surface of the cover D.

When it is desired to open the can, the handle F, is seized and the opener and stopper then acts as a lever to rip the cover from the can, the solder readily giving away. It will be noted that the cover extends beyond the opening C, far enough so that the ripping strain is transmitted to the flange a, which is stiff enough to withstand such a strain. After the cover has been removed from the can, the opener and stopper G, is removed from the hole 0, in

the support E, and then serves as a stopperfor the hole. To this end the head H, is made large enough to fit the opening C, and is tapered to facilitate the fit. Also, the head is preferably surrounded by a yielding packing ring I, so that an air-tight joint is formed between the stopper and the rim of the hole. Accordingly, air is eX- cluded from the can and the contents are kept in good condition until all used, this being particularly true in the case of cotton seed oil.

The stopper may be made of any suitable material, such as wood, metal, hard rubber or the like, wood being preferred because it is cheap and readily made into the proper shape; and the packing ring I, can be made of any suitable yielding material such as rubber or cork. It is also desirable to apply a ring of solder directly to the blank and the blanks thus made can then be soldered to the can whenever the can is to be closed. The same instrumentality serves as a lever for ripping open the can cover and then serves as a stopper for the opening left in the can.

I claim:

1. A can having an opening therein, in combination with a cover for said opening detachably soldered to the can and having an upwardly projecting integral apertured support; and a combined opener and stopper having a tapered reduced handle adapted to enter the hole in said support, and an enlarged head adapted to fit the hole in the can, said head being tapered with a surrounding yielding packing ring, and the opener and stopper having an annular recess or groove where the handle andhead join to engage with the margin of the hole in the support.

2. A can having an opening therein, in combination with a cover for said opening detachably soldered to the can and having an upwardly projecting apertured support;

and a combined opener and stopper having a handle adapted to enter the hole in said support, and a head adapted to fit the hole in the can, said head being tapered With a surrounding yielding packing ring.

3. A can having an opening therein, in

- combination with a cover for said opening detaohably soldered to the can and havlng an upwardly projecting apertured. support, and a combined opener and stopper having a handle adapted to enter the aperture or hole in said support, and a head adapted to fit the hole in the can, and the opener and stopper having an annular recess or groove Where the handle and head join to engage with the margin of the hole in the support.

4. A can having an opening therein, in

. combination with a cover for said opening detachably soldered to the can and having an upwardly projecting apertured support;

and a combined opener and stopper having a handle adapted to enter the aperture or hole in said support, and a head adapted to fit the hole in the can. 7

5.- A can having an opening therein, in combination with a cover for said opening soldered to the can and having an upwardly projectingaperture'd support; and a comhin'ed opener and stopper having a handle adapted to enter the aperture or hole in said support, and a tapered enlarged head adapted to fit the hole in the can.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT HULME.

\Vitnesses THos. A. EVANS, FRANCES F. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

